Youth Players Update

[caj85]

Nine youngsters have signed scholarship contracts ahead of the 2025-26 season.

Youth Development Phase Lead, Willis Francis, provides an overview of those who will be taking the next step of their promising careers with us.

SAM BATOR - DEFENDER
?Sam has been with us since Under 8s and is a leader who his team-mates often look to for support.
?He?s a commanding centre-back who loves to defend and put his body on the line for the team.
?Sam also likes to get on the ball and drive out of defence ? and he?s coped with the physical and tactical demands of playing in higher age groups.
?He?s a loud voice in the changing room and is always prepared to ask questions to help his learning.?

EDWARD LILLEY - DEFENDER
?Despite interest from several other clubs, Ed showed real enthusiasm in choosing to join us from Nottingham Forest.
?A left-sided defender who can play wide or centrally, he?s very calm on the ball and makes great passes through the lines to find team-mates.
?Ed?s also a fantastic one-v-one defender who always looks in control of the situation ? and he?s someone who gets on with the job and is committed to his responsibilities.?

LUCA FLETCHER - DEFENDER/MIDFIELDER
?We?re delighted to have fought off strong competition from other clubs to sign Luca from Nottingham Forest, where he played since Under 9s.
?He can play across the back line or in central midfield, with his tough-tackling, energetic approach being a big asset to the team when out of possession.
?Luca?s also very capable with the ball and has a fantastic diagonal pass in his armoury.?

ASHTON SHAW - MIDFIELDER
?Ashton has progressed through the age groups since joining us as an Under 13, playing in a number of positions.
?He doesn?t stop running and is a threat to opposition defences with the quality of his passing and dribbling.
?Ashton has real drive and determination and will go up against any player without fear ? be that in or out of possession.
?He leads by example, always doing the right things and upholding the values needed to progress.?

CAMERON MALTBY - MIDFIELDER
?Cameron rejoined us from Barnsley this season and has looked at home from minute one.
?He?s a great team-mate who?s always willing to do the work others might not want to do.
?Cameron is a tough tackler who gets around the pitch incredibly well. He?s calm on the ball and is always looking for forward passes to unlock defences, plus he has a tendency to chip in with goals.?

RARES CIUERA - MIDFIELDER
?Originally from Romania, Rares has made an instant impact after joining us recently.
?He plays with the flair and freedom you might expect from an international player who is a late arrival into academy football ? but he also works incredibly hard and is eager to learn and improve.
?Rares? athletic physique, creativity and eye for goal make him an exciting player to watch.?

KAMERON MUIR - MIDFIELDER
?Supporters will need no introduction to Kameron, who became the youngest ever player to feature for the first team when he came off the bench in this season?s Vertu Trophy match against Burton Albion.
?We?re delighted he?s committed to the club despite interest from many clubs higher in the pyramid ? and it?s a credit to Kameron that he?s stayed level-headed throughout.
?He?s a dynamic, attack-minded midfield player who can play off the striker or deeper. His energy and physical presence make him a threat going forward and his quality on the ball allows him to find passes or run past players to create or score.?

DARSHAN LEMARD - WINGER/WING BACK
?Comfortable anywhere on the flanks, Darshan is a nightmare to play against due to his dynamism, pace and trickery ? and he also embraces the defensive side of the game.
?Darshan is another player who?s shown he?s comfortable playing with higher age groups and leads by example with his enthusiasm and work-rate.
?We look forward to continuing to see him fly down the flanks in the future.?

GEORGE LODGE - FORWARD
?We?re delighted to welcome George back to the club from Nottingham Forest, who he joined from us earlier in his career.
?George had plenty of admirers but his close relationships with some of our staff members and his fond memories of the club were a big factor in him choosing to join us.
?A hard-working striker who poses a big problem for defenders due to his aerial ability, movement and hold-up play, George also knows where the goal is and is a big character within the group.?


https://www.nottscountyfc.co.uk/news...youth-players/

[caj85]

What does a modern day scholarship entail?

(This website formatting of punctuation is awful)

[Poultonmagpie]

Get them all on they can?t do any worse than the dross served up in recent games they will have fire in their bellies and want to perform not like 80% of the current team. Fridays performance was so gutless, without direction and inexcusable!!

[Mark_Ross]

Get them all on they can?t do any worse than the dross served up in recent games they will have fire in their bellies and want to perform not like 80% of the current team. Fridays performance was so gutless, without direction and inexcusable!!

Yeah, it would be nice to give all our best youth players a run out.
But we should wait until the playoffs are arithmetically impossible.

[durhampie]

Judging by past experience i wouldnt be surprised if we never see any of them in the 1st team..

[applepie2]

We've already seen Kameron Muir in the 1st team.

[slack_pie]

We've already seen Kameron Muir in the 1st team.

He'll be off before he makes a real impact if he's any good.

[durhampie]

We've already seen Kameron Muir in the 1st team.

Yes in a cup game against Burton. You wont see him again unless its through injuries to the regular players..

[Boomerangpie]

They could turn out to be Basford United level but let?s hope the academy start producing worthy first team players. It?s been criminally too long on that score

[Bushwacka]

LUCA FLETCHER - DEFENDER/MIDFIELDER
?We?re delighted to have fought off strong competition from other clubs to sign Luca from Nottingham Forest, where he played since Under 9s.
?He can play across the back line or in central midfield, with his tough-tackling, energetic approach being a big asset to the team when out of possession.
?Luca?s also very capable with the ball and has a fantastic diagonal pass in his armoury.?

Son of Darren (not the Man Utd one), BT Sport commentator, and ex-Notts director (with his mate (ex-mate?) Big Al).